


Live

by Eleanor_Lambb



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry: New Dawn
Genre: Canon Divergence, Gen, Judge's gender non-specified, Mickey Lives AU, both mickey and ethan r part of prosperity now bc Fuck Off Ubisoft, ethan lives au, implied Judge/Cap, other characters but these are the main
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 13:30:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19442428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanor_Lambb/pseuds/Eleanor_Lambb
Summary: Cap's tired of killing





	Live

**Author's Note:**

> i basically only wrote this bc I'm Upset about a lot of things that happened in New Dawn but Also ths is kinda a, prequel to a lot of other fics I'm working on eeeeeeee
> 
> also srry i kept the judge and cap's relationship ambiguous, but if anyone is wondering they have a purely platonic, sexual relationship and it Rules
> 
> enjoy :)

Killing was different when it was against a force and not a person. Killing was different when the enemy has a mask or a helmet on so you don't see their faces. Killing was different when you didn't know a name, and you didn't know anything about anybody. Killing was different when they weren't at your mercy.

A hot tear rolls down the Captain's cheek. She packs her bow away. The Judge hisses, bow still drawn.

"Sh, Judge," Cap says, holding a hand up, "Stop. It's over."

The Judge hisses again, stepping closer.

Mickey's eyes close, waiting.

"We _aren't_ ," Cap steps in front of the Judge, letting the tip of the notched arrow point to her chest, "Gonna do that, alright?" _Don't cry, dammit, don't cry_ , "Judge? Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna go down to the docks and grab a boat, alright?" Cap's hands smooth over the Judge's wrists, easing the arrow and bow down, "You're gonna grab a boat, and we're gonna stop Ethan. That's what's important here, Judge, you know it. We can't let him get to that tree."

The Judge growls.

"Don't growl at me, fucker, he'll get to Joseph's tree, and then what?" The Captain closes the space, face - to - face with the Judge, trying to keep her voice low, "He'll get the same shit as you and me, and he'll use that power to kill Joseph. You want the blood of the Father on your hands because you wanted to enact some petty revenge?" Cap turns, "Look at her. She has nothing left here. It wouldn't matter if we killed her or not. Let's just....let's just _leave_."

The Judge sucks in a heavy, shaky breath. They rip themself out of Cap's grasp, stomping down the hill without another sound.

Another tear rolls down Cap's cheek. Turning to Mickey, she kneels down, wiping her face.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Mickey. I really am sorry."

Mickey eyes her up and down. Slightly leaning back.

"I'm not gonna kill you, Mickey. I'm just not gonna do that - " Hearing the crunch of tires over dirt and rocks, Cap peers over her shoulder, seeing Gina's car burst through the front gates, Hurk leaning out the passenger side. The car parks itself, and both Hurk and Gina file out.

"Fuck, did we miss all the action?" Gina yells. She stops, gun falling to her side, "Fuck, is that the Twins over there?"

Cap turns back with a sigh, "I'll be right back...don't go anywhere."

Cap hears a ' _Don't worry about that_ ,' from behind her as she runs down the hill.

Hurk and Gina both have big grins on their faces.

"Daaaamn, Captain, you cleared this place out!" Hurk shoulders his rocket launcher.

"Yeah, listen....Lou is dead - "

"That means Mickey is still alive," Gina holds her gun up, "Let's go finish the job."

Cap shakes her head quickly, "No, no no, listen to me. I need..." Cap takes a deep breath, "I need you two....to help Mickey back to Prosperity. Alive."

" _What_?!" Gina and Hurk yell simultaneously.

"Are you crazy?" Gina straps her gun to her chest, "After all the shit those fucking twins did? You want to show these monsters some mother fucking _mercy_?"

Cap nods, eyes closing, "Yes. I do."

"I don't know how everyone is gonna feel about this, Cap - " Hurk starts, before Gina cuts him off.

"They're going to want her head - _I_ want her head! We can't let her walk around alive - "

"I don't care," Cap snaps, "I. Don't. _Care_. You're gonna bring her back to Prosperity, _alive_ , and you're going to help her."

Gina shakes her head, "This is fucked up. This is _so_ fucked _up_."

Hurk's mouth is tightly closed, eyes darting between Gina and Cap. Cap stares directly into Gina's eyes, tears welling.

" _Please_ , help her."

Gina's face softens, just slightly. She sighs an angry breath, bumping into Cap's shoulder as she walks up the hill. Hurk puts a hand up in salute.

"We're on it, Captain," He says, almost sheepish, running quickly after Gina.

A blur of movement out of the corner of her eye, and Cap see's the Judge pull up to the broken dock in a riverboat.

-

The sound of the Judge crying was unbearable. It wasn't the cry of a human. It was a mix of beastly, painful moans, screaming so loud, they were the only sound heard for miles. Their leather clothes were ripped, sodden with ash as they kneel down, watching Joseph's tree burn, Ethan's body resting at the base. Cap kneels with them, rubbing their back, sobbing, the Judge's cries too much for her to bear. Cap never liked Ethan. She always thought he was a manipulative asshole, but the sadness that captured them all as she watched Ethan die under his father's hands was too much.

" _You've got a soft heart,_ " Cap remembers Carmina telling her, " _Mom says we're alike like that_."

Joseph is staring over the river, standing at the edge of the waterfall.

Cap looks over, just in time to see Joseph's arms extend, and his body fall forward. She pushes the Judge away with a shocked yell, leaping towards Joseph, trying to grasp onto his ankle. His slim figure is just out of reach. Cap edges over the waterfall. Just as she thinks she's going to be joining the Father at the bottom of the river, a force grasps the back of her jacket, pulling her back up.

The Judge pulls her back into their arms, burying their head into her chest, groaning. Cap holds onto them like if she let go, she'd be back over that edge.

They stayed like that until the fires were eaten away by the wind and the water, ash being all that was left. Looking up, Cap see's that Ethan's body had disappeared from the white base of the tree. No bones, no remains, not a scrap of clothing. She pushes the Judge away.

"He's gone - " She gasps, "Ethan, he's gone, where did he go?"

A shape crawls through the shallow water behind the burnt corpse of the tree.

Ethan's entire right side is burnt, skin blackened, red and peeling. He's laying stomach - down in the water, and Cap can see the edges of a burn crawl up his neck, the burn scratching at his chin. The Judge's head turns, and before Cap can react, they jump out of her arms, racing towards Ethan with an earth - shaking roar. Cap bounces up behind them, trying to grab onto their coat. The Judge pounces onto Ethan, hands around his throat.

"Stop, _stop_ ," Cap begs. She tugs hard, hearing Ethan gurgle and struggle under the Judge's weight. With one final pull, the Judge flies off, their body knocking into the tree. She holds them there, bracing a leg between theirs, chests pushed together, " _Stop_."

The Judge struggles with a broken hiss, but while Cap is using her Eden's Gift, they're no match for her. The Judge pulls at her arms, gloves digging into the sleeves of her windbreaker.

" _Stop_ , Judge, _stop_. He's _done_. He's done," Cap yells weakly. She's so _tired_ , tired of running around, tired of killing, tired of watching people die.

The Judge, slowly, stops resisting, falling limp into Cap's arms, a beastly moan escaping them. Cap lets go, and the Judge falls into the shallow water onto their hands and knees, the edge of their mask touching the surface of the water. With a sniffle, Cap walks back to Ethan.

"You shouldn't be alive," Cap says. Ethan coughs, eyes rolling into the back of his head, "You shouldn't be alive, but you are," Ethan's eyes scan the Captain once, before he exhales, and falls limp into the water. Cap still speaks.

"The stress of it all made you pass out, didn't it? I can't explain this fuckin' tree, what happened to you, but he was your dad," She chokes, "This hurt you so much....I'm so sorry."

She scoops Ethan up effortlessly into her arms, standing. Her muscles burned from they day's overuse, but she was still determined to get back to Prosperity.

"C'mon, Judge," she says, toeing at the Judge with a worn sneaker, "We've gotta get back....c'mon."

The Judge swats at her leg, curling further into themself.

"Please, Judge? Please?" Cap doesn't want to beg, but if that's what it takes to get the Judge up, she'll do so, "We have to get back."

After a few minutes of muttered pleas, the Judge finally rises, dripping with water. Their mask is covered with blood and ash, clothes burnt and torn. _You look like Hell_ , Cap wants to say, as if she's faring any better.

They make their way down the mountain quietly, Ethan's limp body cradled against Cap's chest. The Judge trudges slowly behind, steps heavy. They don't bother stopping in Joseph's shack, the Judge brushing a hand against the center wooden pillar of the room as they pass. Green algae grows on the decaying wood of the dock. The Judge doesn't help Cap load Ethan's body into the boat.

Joseph is nowhere to be seen.

  
-

Cap heaves Ethan's body over her shoulders, panting as she climbs up the hill to the East side of Prosperity.

"Open the gates! We need a medic!" Cap hears someone yell. The painted yellow doors open, and Selene and a hardy woman Cap has never seen before rush forward.

"Oh. My. _God_. He looks like a well done _steak_!" Selene squeaks. The hardy - looking woman easily picks Ethan off of Cap's shoulders. Cap collapses at the loss of the weight, panting into the dirt. Sweat had made the grime and blood run down her face. Selene and the woman rush off, a blur of movement coming from the right helping Cap to her feet.

"Easy there, Captain," Nick says, holding one arm around her waist, "Heard the news. Lou is dead," His voice betrays him, and Nick lets a hint of anger rumble through. Cap smiles.

"Didn't think those two would listen to me," Cap closes her eyes. Around her, she hears cheers and hoots, congratulatory noises she wishes she could fully appreciate. Cap lets herself be led further into the courtyard, Nick pushing into the infirmary. She doesn't resist as Nick lays her down, pulls off her equipment and boots.

"Thanks, Dad," Cap says, grinning. Nick huffs, trying not to smile.

Cap closes her eyes.

When she opens them again, it's no longer daytime. Instead, the gentle pulse of moonbeams dot the room, illuminating the white furniture and walls. She recognizes shapes against the white. One is the Judge, sitting in a stool across the room, mask hidden in shadow - the one place moonlight couldn't touch. She couldn't tell if they were asleep or not. The Judge usually wasn't allowed within the Prosperity gates, but with everything that has happened, maybe the Rye's allowed it.

Without moving her head, Cap looks to her right, seeing Carmina fast asleep in a chair, arms crossed and head leaned back. Looking left, she see's a figure laying in the bed next to her. She can't make anything out besides bleach - blonde hair pulled into plaits. Cap smiles, sighing.

There's a swish, and Cap looks up to see the Judge staring over her. She gasps, sitting up.

Carmina stirs with a ' _Wuzzat_?' She sits up, yawning, rubbing her eyes and blinking sleepily.

"I wasn't sleeping," Carmina says, stretching. Cap laughs.

"Some of us are trying to sleep," A voice cuts into the air.

Carmina freezes, mouth closing, staring at Cap. Cap puts a finger to her lips. _Sh._ Carmina nods. Cap swings her legs over the bed, Carmina holding her hand out, Cap taking it to stabilize herself. Her whole body aches, but she doesn't want to stay in bed. Carmina supports Cap, helping her out of the infirmary. Once outside, and a good distance from the infirmary, she sets Cap down on the stairs to the Cartography office. The Judge rests on the open platform with the Cartography doorway. Cap's body still aches, new scars littering her body.

"Gina and Hurk brought Mickey here. _Here_. They said you told them to bring her. Is that true?" Carmina looks one part shocked, one part hurt.

Cap nods. She can't stop smiling, and she doesn't know why. She leans back against the stairs, smile widening, "I didn't think they _would_ , to be honest. I thought we'd stumble upon Mickey in a few weeks in a bear cave or something." _She's alive. She's alive. She's alive._

Carmina shakes her head, "Why?"

"I can't explain why. I can't. I don't...I don't know why. I had to, Carmina, I _had_ to. To be honest, I'm surprised she's still able to talk. Selene took good care of her?"

"After a few moments of freaking out, yeah," Carmina pulls her knees to her chest, "She's still trying to fix up that guy you brought with you from the river, too."

"Still?" Cap says, surprised. She looks up. The upper floor of the infirmary was reserved as a 'Clean Room,' something only the infirmary team could access when they had to do serious surgery on wounds. Windows covered by heavy brown canvas, no light shined through, "Will he be OK?"

"I don't know. Who is he?" Carmina asks.

"Joseph Seed's son. Name's Ethan. He went crazy, and I had to fight him. I thought he died. I was wrong," _Thank fucking God_. Cap side - eyes the Judge. They're staring at the Infirmary building.

"I heard that a traitor let the Twins into New Eden...was that him?" Carmina asks.

"Yeah. It was. I still don't fully understand why. I think he was jealous of Joseph...I'll ask him when he's awake."

"If he ever wakes up," Carmina adds, glancing at the Infirmary's upper floor.

Cap chuckles, "Are you doubting our dear Selene's ability in the medical field?" Selene has saved Prosperity's skins plenty of times. Though eccentric, she was a genius by all accounts.

"No! Of course not - "

"What are you guys talking about?" A voice mutters sleepily from above. Both women both look up, and see Bean standing in the doorway, rubbing at his eyes, "Hi Judge," He smiles. The Judge hops down from the platform, stalking over to a painted garden box, sitting on the edge, head still fixed on the building. Cap stifles a laugh.

"Go back to bed, Sweetheart," Cap says, "This is girl talk."

"It's _not_ 'girl - talk.' Sharky explained to me _exactly_ what 'girl - talk' is, and it's not this," Bean says, determined. He's dressed in grey pajama pants with a faded yellow sweater, thick glasses over his blurry eyes, his beanie still on, "I heard everything from bed."

"Well come on down then, Cutie," Cap says, motioning him to sit next to her.

Bean's face goes slightly red as he sits, to Cap's right, Carmina smiling wide. Bean's face twists, "Ugh, what's that smell?"

"Just me," Cap says, leaning back, "Get a good whiff, kiddo," she raises her arms, wrapping Bean in a hug.

" _Ugh,_ no thanks!" Ben squirms.

Carmina laughs, "No respect for the woman who saved our hides!"

Cap lets go of Bean, who fixes his glasses.

"So what happened when Mickey showed up?" Cap asks, pulling Bean's beanie down over his glasses. Bean tried to duck out of the way, only succeeding in leaning more to his right.

"Everyone flipped out - especially my parents. They wanted her out, but Hurk and Gina were insistent. It got heated between Gina and my dad," Carmina looked down at the ground, toeing at a rock, "It took a little convincing, but my mom gave way, eventually."

A twang of guilt pierces Cap's heart. Fighting was inevitable, but if anyone got hurt, that would be Cap's fault. She holds a hand on Carmina's shoulder.

"Lou's body is in Gina's trunk," Bean says, also holding a hand to Carmina's other shoulder. Carmina gives him a side - eye, and he pulls away quick, "They're waiting for you to bury her."

"Christ, why?" _She should be buried already. Mickey should've been allowed to bury her - that's her fucking sister._

Carmina and Bean mutter ' _I don't knows_ ,' and shrug.

"We aren't _animals_ ," Cap hisses, "Lou should be in the ground already."

Cap thinks of the hundreds she's probably killed over the last few weeks. The Highwaymen were a swarm. _Locusts_ , Joseph Seed called them. Consuming, squeezing the life out of everything they came upon. Most of them deserved the grim end Cap delivered them - but every death haunted her. The worst were the ones who didn't wear helmets, red bandanas covering the mouth and nose but revealing the eyes. Windows to the soul, and these souls burn in agony on their way to Hell. Even in death, they squeezed every bit of guilt and life they could from her.

"The Twins wouldn't treat our bodies with the same respect," Carmina snaps, "They'd feed us to wild dogs! Like they do with their other dead."

"Not true," Bean says, fixing his glasses, "Highwaymen burn their dead. You can see the big pyres in the distance sometimes for really big massacres. Enforcers and Big - Wigs are buried. My scouts find graves marked with big metal crosses with names all the time out in the valley."

"How can you tell its Highwaymen?" Cap asks.

"Graffiti and pink paint," Bean says.

"Ah," Cap stares up at the sky. The Aurora Borealis pulsed, countless stars dusted against dark blue, the white light of the moon was brighter than Cap has ever seen.

" _That's one thing I love about the mountains,_ " she thinks to herself, " _Can't get a view like this anywhere else_."

A flicker of movement, and Cap sees the Judge run to the infirmary. _The Hell?_ Carmina and Bean don't seem to notice. Cap bounces up, ignoring the burn in her muscles, rushing over. The Judge throws the door open, wisping inside. _Shit_ , _Ethan_! She enters the open doorway of the infirmary.

The Judge is looming in the far doorway to the staircase that led to the Clean Room. In front of their towering shape, Cap can see the slim figure of Selene.

"No _way_! No _way_ you're going go up there!" Selene's voice is strained from exhaustion, but keeps the usual tight shrillness. Her arms and legs are stretched over the doorway, blocking the Judge from going up.

Cap grabs Judge by their shoulder, "Judge, _stop_ \- "

The Judge twists around with a snarl. Cap stands her ground, keeping a strong grip on them. Their eyes lock, and Cap's very soul shakes at the wrath that burns in Judge's eyes

"Cap," Selene's voice shakes, "You need to get them out of here. _Now_!"

The Judge rips themselves from Cap's grip, bounding out the door. Cap starts to run after them, but by the time Cap exits the infirmary, the Judge has disappeared. Body aching, voice caught in her throat, she walks back into the infirmary, cradling her arms.

Mickey is sitting up in her bed, silhouetted by moonlight. Though her face is hidden in shadow, Cap swears she sees her smirk.

  
-

"Your guy is awake," Selene says, threading her hands through her wild hair, "He's _totally_ ready to be reintegrated into society....OK, well, maybe not, but he's ready for visitors. Just don't touch his wraps, alright?"

It's been three days since Ethan had been brought to Prosperity. Three days since Cap saw the Judge. She fixes herself, takes a deep breath, and walks up the stairs to the Clean Room.

The Clean Room was a bright white, every corner strung with lights. Ethan doesn't turn to look as Cap enters. His weak form sits up in his bed, hands tight around a steaming mug. His gaze is stuck at a heavy drape on the wall that covers a closed window.

Cap's eyes move from Ethan, to the window, back again. She slowly crosses the room. She pulls the drape to the side, hanging the edge on a hook that was screwed into the wall. Bright afternoon sunlight streams into the room, illuminating the white in a near - blinding way.

She turns back. Ethan is staring at her. His dark eyes are like coals, burning a hole into Cap's form. Cap swallows.

"Do you know where you are?" Cap asks him.

Ethan doesn't respond. He's wearing a weathered robe, and Cap can see bandages peek out from the opening in his robe. His neck and the bottom of his chin are taped with gauze.

"You're in Prosperity. The other side of the valley," She takes a few steps closer, until she's standing close to the bedside, "You were in pretty bad shape."

"You should have let me _burn_ ," Ethan spits, teeth grit.

Closer now, Cap can see scars on his cheeks and chin, one eye darkened with a bruise. His hair is cut at odd angles, like someone had let a toddler cut his hair. An untouched, singed end of a lock catches her eye.

Cap shrugs, "Well...you _did_ burn, technically."

Cap ducks as Ethan lets out a shattering yell, pulling his arm back, flinging the mug in his hand across the room, opposite of them. The mug shatters, hot tea staining the white wall.

"I should be _dead_. First you undermine me by bringing my father back, and then you deny me the freedom of _death_?" Ethan screams, olive skin flushing. A vein in his neck pulses, his eyes wide and black, "Is this a _joke_ to you?" Ethan's breathing heaves with exhaustion, his hands tight fists.

Cap wracks her brain for something to say. Finally, after careful consideration, she pulls something out from the depths of her mind. She takes a deep breath, pulling off her baseball cap.

"This isn't a joke. Way, way far from one. But, _Goddamn_ ," She steps closer to the bed, slow, standing straight, choosing her words carefully, "You survived.....a _lot_ , Ethan. The poison of that sacred tree, the fire. Then you survived being attacked by the Judge."

Ethan's hand raises to touch his neck, watching her carefully. Cap doesn't meet his eye, instead focusing on his bandaged hand.

Second chances. Lots of people gathered around the Lord and scripture to cope with the world. Belief never interested Cap, though she had respect for the devotees that followed. She was more for living in the now, for people, deal with things that were physical rather than spiritual. But she couldn't help but wonder....maybe coincidence isn't coincidence all the time. Maybe fates are intwined and on a set path. _But who controls those paths_? Cap shakes the thought. You don't have the time to contemplate right now.

"Hell, you survived _me_. I took out _hundreds_ of those Highwaymen. Even the Twins couldn't escape me. But _you_ lived," she slowly sinks onto her knees, clasping her hands around Ethan's free hand. He eyes her, untrustworthy, but lets her continue her speech.

"Do you know what this means, Ethan? You've been given a second chance. Isn't that what you wanted, all along? To be free? To be your own, instead of living in your father's shadow?"

Ethan tenses, "And where is he? My father?"

Cap swallows the burning pit in her throat, "He thought you were dead. The grief was too much for him."

The rigid frown of Ethan's face softens. He rips his gaze away from Cap.

"Get out."

Cap's face falls, "E - "

Ethan rips his hand away, face red, vein in his neck bulging, _"I said get out!"_

With her tail between her legs, Cap quietly leaves the Clean Room.

  
-

  
Cap stirs a spoonful of honey into a hot cup of tea. It's been two weeks since the Twin's reign of terror had been taken down.

The morning after she was brought to Prosperity, Mickey had buried her sister. Cap escorted her down the riverbank, letting Mickey pick the spot she wanted. They carried Lou's body in a clean wagon covered with a pink sheet.

" _She always liked pink. The colors were her idea."_

Mickey barely said anything else, shouldering a shovel as Cap led the wagon. She picked out a spot a few yards from the river. A large, old willow with lush greenery. Cap attempted to help dig, but it only took a single death glare from Mickey for Cap to quietly stand off to the side.

When Lou was buried at the base of the tree, dirt tightly packed over her, Mickey picked a few pale pink wildflowers, placing them down. She cried the whole time, but the tears fell silently, and she made no sound. She shook a pink spray can, writing out Lou's name in big bubbly letters. She added a halo above.

Slowly, but surely, Mickey was recovering from her wounds. Scars were healing, and Mickey was careful about not picking at her stitches. She barely left the infirmary, only venturing when Cap urged her to. Even then, Cap kept a close eye on her. Not that she suspected Mickey off any ill will (Which Carmina found outrageously disturbing that Cap thought like that,) but it was more to make sure no one in Prosperity messed with her. Cap was impressed by how unfazed Mickey was about everything. She ignored the rageful glares from Nick Rye, and Gina Guerra, and just about everyone else in Prosperity.

Not that it's easy.

The more Cap sees of Mickey, the less angry she feels _. I should be angry. They destroyed our train, killed everyone on, killed Rush, tormented this valley. I should be pissed off. Hell, worse than pissed off, I should be tearing the valley apart._ Like everyone else, she _should_ be staring at Mickey with wrath, with hate.

But for some strange, ugly reason, Cap _can't_. And she doesn't understand _why._

She carries the tea into the Infirmary. Mickey is sitting in a stool in the corner of the room, playing with a radio. Cap carries the cup to her, setting it on the table, sitting on the edge of Mickey's bed. Selene still wanted her to stay in the infirmary for a few more weeks, so they moved an extra cot into the corner.

"Shit," Mickey says, "Don't you have anything that isn't hick country?" While Cap thinks she's joking, Mickey speaks with a dry tone.

"We do, but the people around here like the hick country, so it stays."

Mickeys huffs in response, turning the dials. After a few moments, Mickey gives up trying to find any other radio stations, and switches the radio off. She turns in her stool, taking the tea mug Cap had brought her.

"You didn't poison this, did you?" She asks, looking into the cup.

"If you're allergic to honey, maybe," Cap responds, "Why?"

Mickey grimaces, but doesn't respond. Her plaits were undone, hair tied back. She was wearing a pair of sweats, and a white tank top, not bothering to hide any of her scars. Underneath motocross armor and baggy clothing, Mickey was thin and lean. She looked almost delicate, like she belonged on a scouting party rather than at the head of the Highwaymen.

"See something you like?" Mickey asks, leaning back, head tilting slightly.

Cap flushes, "What? No, no no no, I'm not....you just look like you've lost a lot of weight s'all," she shifts, waving her hands.

Mickey shrugs, "I think I have. Back with the Highwaymen, we ran on a mostly meat diet. Less vegetables, more substance. You guys live a little more...." she purses her lips, shrugging, "Balanced. Not that you're balanced, Captain," she sips tea, "You're one crazy motherfucker."

Cap snorts, tucking hair behind her ear, "It's just Cap."

"Yeah, remind me again why you need a nickname for a nickname?"

Cap shrugs, "I don't know, easier than saying Captain of Security. I like it. Short and sweet, like me!"

With an amused snort, Mickey drains her cup.

Throughout the two weeks Mickey had stayed in Prosperity, Cap had rarely hears her talk for so long. Eager to continue, to get Mickey to open more to her, she inches herself off the bed, settling on the floor.

"So, how's everything here?"

"Fine," Mickey replies, "But, you know, that Selene? I've _never_ met a fuckin' doc like her. Where'd you pick her up?"

"I helped her find this lost....herbal kit that fell in this silo. She's eccentric, but she's a genius. I doubt anyone else would take better care of you than her."

Mickey nods, contemplating. She leans back, grabbing the radio from behind. She leans forward, holding the radio between her legs.

"I guess I should thank you. For not killing me," she says quietly, fiddling with the dials again.

"I don't want thanks," Cap responds, crossing her legs.

Mickey eyes her suspiciously, before focusing back to the radio, "How long are you gonna keep me hostage here?"

"You aren't a hostage," Cap says quietly, defensively.

With a snort, Mickey shakes her head, looking back at Cap, "You're kidding, right?" She laughs, throwing the radio behind her, "OK, let's play 20 - fuckin' - questions then. What the fuck do you thinks gonna happen when I'm all healed up and good to go? You think the Rye's'll let me stay?"

Cap opens her mouth to answer, but quickly shuts it, because, in all honesty, Cap hadn't thought about an after. It would take a few more weeks for Mickey to heal up. What would happen when she was well and healthy? Would the Ryes insist on kicking her out? Would Highwaymen catch wind of her, and try to storm Prosperity to rescue her? Cap was already stretched - thin trying to protect the rest of the compounds around the valley. Cap kept expecting Mickey to rush out in the middle of the night.

But, strangely enough, Mickey hadn't made any escape attempts. In fact, she seemed almost _content_ to be in Prosperity. _Maybe a little taste of normal civilization, away from violence and the harsh struggle of living up to your warlord father's legacy, opened her eyes a bit?_

And Cap realizes how utterly alienated and how truly alone Mickey must feel. _Lost her sister, her dad. Highwaymen life is hard and cruel. She needs someone to help her, look out for her. She needs someone on her side._

"That's what I thought," Mickey sneers, voice tight, and Cap realizes that she was quiet, staring into space for a few moments.

A knock behind, and Cap turns around, seeing Carmina in the doorway.

"Someone here's to see you, Cap."

  
-

  
Outside, Carmina slides to Cap's side, whispering.

" _The Judge is out on the North side, waiting in the trees. You should get out there before someone shoots them down."_

Cap's nerves rush as she runs out of Prosperity. She hadn't seen the Judge in two weeks, not since she brought Ethan and Mickey back with her. Not bothering to grab a weapon or her windbreaker, she leaps from the upper walkway of the front gates, somersaulting into the grass. She quickly scans the trees, looking for the telltale white mask of the Judge.

" _Judge_?" she calls, speed - walking to the treeline, " _Judge_?"

From behind a particularly thick pine, the Judge's thick figure paces into view. They hold on hand to the tree, bow slung over their chest. With their free hand, they motion Cap closer. She doesn't hesitate, rushing into the forest. The Judge turns their back to her, and Cap follows them through the trees.

They walk for what feels like an eternity, traversing dense forest. Cap's brain wracks for something to fill the silence _. I'm sorry. Are you OK? Where were you?_

The sound of waves beating gently against a sandy shore breaks Cap from her thoughts, and they come to a small clearing, next to the river. Sand had half - engulfed neatly lined logs, and a wooden pedestal with a weathered cross pattern. _That's the New Eden symbol._

The Judge approaches the pedestal, footsteps sinking into the sand. The stand in front of the pedestal, eyes hidden by shadow, flanked by the afternoon sun, light reflecting behind them. The Judge reaches into their coat, pulling out a white book with a gold cross.

_That's Joseph's book._

"You gonna preach to me, Judge?" Cap asks, half - joking.

They don't respond, staring at her.

Cap awkwardly approaches one half - sunken log, sitting down.

"Where've you been?" She asks, playing with her hands, "Two weeks is a long time to be gone, even for you."

The Judge places the book down on the pedestal, flipping to a page, laying it flat and open.

"I'm sorry, Judge. I can understand why you're mad at me."

The Judge reaches into their pocket, and bring out a small object that fits perfectly in their hand.

Cap squints. The Judge flicks their thumb, and a flame pops out. _A lighter_? The Judge places the lighter on the edge of the pedestal, then reaches back into their coat, pulling out an old, crusty bottle. They unscrew the lit of the bottle, pouring it's contents directly on top of the open book.

"What are you doing?" Cap asks, and her curiosity overtakes the nervousness that had dug a pit in her stomach.

The Judge tosses the bottle into the sand, picking the lighter pack up. They hold the flame to the book.

 _Fwoom_. A massive flame shoots up from the pedestal. The Judge doesn't flinch, standing still behind the flames. It burns, brighter and larger. Cap wants to leap up, knock the pedestal into the water, but the grim, white mask behind the flames keeps Cap frozen in her seat.

Before Cap knows it, she's been sitting there for ten, twenty minutes, watching Joseph's book burn. Curiosity melts into confusion. _I thought it was important to them, to New Eden. Joseph is dead, wouldn't they want to keep that book to preserve his teachings?_

Just as it burned bright, the fire dimmed out. Cap cranes her neck, seeing the once white book now black with ash, smoldering, pages destroyed and unreadable. The Judge exhales, shoulders slumping. They outstretch their arms, raising them, as if praising the ruined book. Their eyes were closed.

Then, with a mighty roar, they grab the pedestal by the top, spinning around in the sand, and tossing it into the river. It sinks with a heavy splash, ash scattering in the air, settling on the clear blue water.

They collapse into the sand, onto their knees at the edge of the shore, heavy like a weighted stone. A ghostly yell rips through the air as they dig their hands into the ground.

Cap doesn't hesitate to rush to their side. She slides in the sand, eyes fixed on the ripples the pedestal left behind in the water. She coaxes her hands over their back.

They jerk to the side, wrapping their arms around Cap, and finally, _finally_ , Cap understands.

Those whole two weeks the Judge was gone, they were _grieving_. Cap has been so busy trying to fight scattered Highwaymen off the valley compounds, watching over Mickey and Ethan, she couldn't keep up with New Eden. She didn't even _try_ to go North, life has been so hectic. It ate up Cap from the inside, scraping away at her.

"I'm sorry, _I'm sorry_ ," she repeats, the Judge holding their head in her shoulder.

It dawns on Cap that, with Joseph Seed gone, and Ethan basically _excommunicated_ from New Eden, they needed a new leader. Who better than the Judge? Who, as far as Cap knew, was one of Joseph's closest companions? Cap has seen the people there, and she akins them to sheep in a herd, direction - less. It was only natural that they flocked to the Judge. Besides, who else was more fit to protect New Eden, then their usual gatekeeper and guard?

The Judge peels back, their eyes red, and glossy, holding Cap at an arms length by her shoulders.

Cap wipes her eyes, "I'm sorry that I didn't come see you, Judge. I've been so busy...."

The Judge shakes their head, smoothing down Cap's dirty - blonde hair.

"No, no, I really am sorry. For....for everything," Cap let's all of her guilt spill out, "I shouldn't have come to New Eden, even if we needed your help. The Twins wouldn't have - "

The Judge pulls her back in into a hug. Cap pushes them back.

"Please, Judge, I have to say this."

The Judge stares quietly.

"If I didn't come to find Joseph, everything would've been fine," she fights the burning pit in her stomach. She swallows, "I think it would've been better if I just brought some dog hair back to Ethan, and told him I found it on some old corpse."

The Judge shakes their head again. Their hands move from Cap's shoulders to her cheeks, cradling her face.

"And then, there's..." she closes her eyes, "Ethan and Mickey are still alive, Judge. And I'm sorry for what they did, but I can't let you kill them."

One hand drops from her face, and Cap waits. For a punch, a push, a growl, _something_. Nothing comes. She cracks an eye. Her jaw almost drops.

The Judge had taken off their mask, left it lying in their lap. Cap recognizes their plush lips, their eyes, their scars, but having it all put together instead of just glimpses of one feature or another was.... _overwhelming_. They had a broad nose, with deep, dark circles under their eyes, making them look more haunting than usual. Their mouth was slightly open, showing off a small tooth - gap.

They lean forward, closing their eyes, touching their forehead to hers. They exhale, like the weight of the world was lifted off their shoulders.

They utter one word, a strange rasp, almost a whisper.

_"Free."_

Cap blinks, thinking she's imagined the sound, because it was more _sound_ than word. She's speechless. The months she's know the Judge, they've never, _never_ , uttered a single word. They communicated in groans, hisses, growls, animalistic in nature. Hell, Cap wasn't even sure Judge could speak. _Why didn't they ever speak around me before?_

But a better question is: _What exactly did they think they were they free from?_

Cap can feel the world shift under her feet, feeling the ground turn and twist, the wind blowing in a different direction than it was before. The world around them has changed, Cap can feel it, like the heart that beats within her chest.

The Judge sits back, placing their mask back on, eyes hidden by shadow.

"What happens now, Judge?" Cap asks them.

They stand, brushing sand off their clothes, and they extend a hand out to Cap. She takes it, the Judge hauling her easily to her feet. They tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, with a wistful look, her hand still grasped in there's. They turn, leading Cap back into the forest.


End file.
